iVillage.com: Natural Ways to Prevent and Relieve Heartburn, Gas and Other Digestive Woes

Eat Rye Bread

At least 15 percent of Americans -- and twice as many women than men -- struggle with constipation. But munching on whole-grain rye bread relieves constipation more effectively than laxatives. Plus, it prevents future flare-ups, too, according to researchers at Finland’s University of Helsinki. The credit goes to rye’s arabinoxylan -- dietary fiber that improves your belly’s ability to keep food moving at a reasonable clip. The study subjects enjoyed seven slices daily -- but just trading your usual dose of bread for whole-grain rye can do the trick. “If your grocery store doesn’t carry this healthy option, stock up at the nearest bakery, instead,” suggests Joanne Slavin, Ph.D., a professor of food science at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul.

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If you struggle with heartburn, you might be hesitant to chug something acidic, like apple cider vinegar. “Yet that’s what many people need to prevent heartburn from ever happening!” says Joseph Brasco, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the Center for Colon and Digestive Diseases in Huntsville, Alabama. The connection? Stalled digestion is what keeps food in the stomach long enough for it to wash up into the esophagus and cause heartburn pain, he says. “And cider vinegar contains malic and tartaric acids, powerful digestive aids that speed up digestion so your stomach can empty quickly.” Dilute one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in an 8- ounce glass of water and drink before each meal -- you’ll see noticeable improvements in as little as 24 hours. For the best results possible, pick up some unpasteurized cider vinegar the next time you’re at a health or whole foods store. Malic and tartaric acids can be damaged by heat, so you’ll get a heftier dose of these tummy-soothers if you opt for cider vinegar that’s never been heated.

If you’re tempted to drag out a meal so you can get a break from your hectic life -- do it! People who take 30 minutes to eat their largest meal of the day are 32 percent less likely to be hit with indigestion, gassiness and heartburn compared to people who finish in less than 10 minutes, according to studies at Charleston’s Medical University of South Carolina. “Plus people who eat at a leisurely pace have less swallowed air, bloating, cramping and intestinal pain,” adds Gary Gitnick, M.D., chief of digestive diseases at the UCLA School of Medicine. “If you tend to eat quickly, just slowing down could completely change the quality of your life.” Can’t seem to break your speed-eating habit? Try dining in silence. UCLA studies suggest that people who turn off the TV and radio -- so they’re eating in a calm, quiet atmosphere -- naturally nosh at a more leisurely, tummy-soothing pace.

According to researchers at Britain’s St Thomas’ Hospital, chewing gum after meals prevents heartburn by doubling the flow of saliva down into the esophagus, where it neutralizes any stomach acid that’s leaking up from your tummy. “You don’t have to chew gum nonstop,” adds John Lipham, M.D., director of the Heartburn and Swallowing Center at California’s Chapman Medical Center. “Just pop a piece in your mouth when you feel the first twinge, and chew until your heartburn disappears.” Should you opt for sugar-free? That depends on how the rest of your digestive tract functions! The artificial sweeteners in sugar-free gum have an odd little quirk: They’re surprisingly good at getting the large intestines moving. That means sugar-free gum is a great option if you’re prone to constipation -- but bad news if you tend to get diarrhea!

It’s packed with 40 intestine-soothing natural plant compounds, and sipping three cups daily can reduce painful cramping and chronic bloating for up to 75 percent of women within 48 hours, say researchers at Canada’s McMaster University. Time it right by drinking 8 ounces half an hour before each meal. Peppermint tea can even prevent dyspepsia (that nasty upper-belly pain and bloating that can drag on for hours after meals), say the researchers. “Peppermint’s plant compounds can make you less prone to embarrassing bouts of flatulence, because they break up large gas bubbles in the intestines, plus stall the formation of new ones,” adds Dr. Gitnick, author of "Getting Well, Staying Well."

Taking warm, soothing daily baths can reduce bloating in as little as 72 hours, according to researchers at Logan’s University of Utah. The reason: Being immersed in warm water relaxes the entire central nervous system, and when people feel more calm, cool and collected, they swallow 67 percent less air than when they’re stressed to the max! More good news: A relaxing soak reduces your adrenal glands’ production of damaging stress hormones -- as stress hormone levels drop, your stomach’s ability to properly digest and absorb food naturally rises, says Dr. Brasco.

Nibbling two slices of candied ginger quells the queasies for up to 88 percent of people within 30 minutes, say researchers at the University Hospitals in Cleveland, OH. That makes this sweet, spicy treat as effective as Dramamine for easing nausea, but without this meds’ sleepy side effects. Bonus: Researchers at India’s Central Food Technological Research Institute say enjoying two slices of candied ginger daily can also help cut your heartburn flare-ups as much as 40 percent. Their studies suggest that ginger’s active ingredients (gingerols and curcumin) not only improve digestion and quell nausea fast; they also prod the gallbladder to produce more bile (a digestive aid that helps break down heartburn-triggering fats).

At least 15 percent of Americans -- and twice as many women than men -- struggle with constipation. But munching on whole-grain rye bread relieves constipation more effectively than laxatives. Plus, it prevents future flare-ups, too, according to researchers at Finland’s University of Helsinki. The credit goes to rye’s arabinoxylan -- dietary fiber that improves your belly’s ability to keep food moving at a reasonable clip. The study subjects enjoyed seven slices daily -- but just trading your usual dose of bread for whole-grain rye can do the trick. “If your grocery store doesn’t carry this healthy option, stock up at the nearest bakery, instead,” suggests Joanne Slavin, Ph.D., a professor of food science at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) -- the most common digestive problem nationwide (at least one in five women struggle with it daily) -- can cause terrible bouts of pain, constipation, diarrhea and other symptoms. And while a diet rich in fruits and vegetables helps ease digestive upsets for almost 60 percent of women, there’s a pretty big catch: Raw produce releases irritating hydrogen gas when it reaches the intestines, which causes nasty flare-ups for IBS-prone women, says Gitnick. If you suspect uncooked produce could be making your belly upsets worse, try this test: Only eat fruits and veggies that have been cooked, canned, made into soups or processed into juices. If you’re sensitive to fresh produce, you’ll see dramatic improvements in as little as one week.

If you’re prone to belly pain, bloating or other uncomfortable symptoms after meals, try relaxing in a comfy chair after eating. For five minutes, sit and visualize your symptoms gradually disappearing. Spending a few minutes daily picturing a positive, pain-free outcome helps up to 89 percent of women soothe bellyaches in as little as one week, say UCLA researchers. That’s because a post-meal serenity break switches on your enteric nervous system, a specialized group of nerves that nourishes your digestive tract, plus secretes the hormones your intestines need to function at their peak, explains Brasco, co-author of "Restoring Your Digestive Health."

Deadline looming? Company coming? Stress overloads are as tough on your digestive tract as they are on your nervous system -- in fact, they’re one of the leading causes of chronic digestive upsets, says Gitnick. Spending just 20 minutes daily practicing even the most basic yoga poses can reduce your bouts of indigestion by 70 percent in one week and cut your heartburn flare-ups in half, say doctors at New York’s Winthrop University Hospital. Turns out these calming, body-bending moves act just like meditation, dramatically lowering your output of tummy-trashing stress hormones. To learn yoga without signing up for a pricey class, try yogatoday.com or yogadownload.com for free video classes.